Chayes International Public Service Fellowship Project Summaries, Summer 2008

Olusola AinaCentre for Study of Violence and Reconciliation, South AfricaUpdated an online directory of truth commissions throughout the world; conducted background research for papers on human rights in Angola and Rwanda

Phillip AssmusNational Prosecuting Authority, South AfricaWrote research memos on topics including US proceedings related to a South African prosecution; whether the Asset Forfeiture Unit should appeal a lower court ruling; undefined terms within the asset forfeiture statute; and the mechanics of international criminal investigations

Matthew Carpenter-DennisAfrican Development Bank, TunisiaWorked in the operations department of the legal counsel’s office in drafting contracts, negotiating disbursement conditions related to loan agreements, and providing legal opinions on the satisfaction of such conditions in compliance with Bank standards

Leah CohenCommunity Law Centre, South AfricaConducted research on the constitutionality of the national Land Use Management Bill; published a policy research paper on the Centre’s website

Alexia De VincentisCenter for Justice and International Law, Washington, DCDrafted a brief to the Inter-American Commission and Court of Human Rights in a case involving arbitrary detention and repatriation of asylum seekers in the Bahamas

Iain FrameHuman Rights Law Network, IndiaProvided research and editing work on a compilation of academic papers and testimony before the Independent People’s Tribunal regarding the role of the World Bank in India

Ermal FrasheriInstitute of Future Studies Development, ThailandProvided assistance and legal advice on the formalization of the informal sector and specific measures regarding pollution and transportation problems in Bangkok; conducted a detailed analysis of the establishment of a compensation mechanism for Thailand free trade agreements

Julia GegenheimerInternational Rescue Committee, ChadConducted research on the legal protection of the Sudanese refugees at a nearby camp along the Chad-Darfur border, international law, domestic Chadian and Sudanese codes, and traditional conflict management practices of the Zaghawa tribe; interviewed refugees

Katy GlennGreen Advocates, LiberiaReviewed new forestry contracts for compliance with human rights standards; edited a report on the history of the forestry sector in Liberia and the role of timber companies in the country’s civil war; and conducted research on human rights violations connected to Firestone’s rubber plantation

Jeremy GoldbergInfraCo Management Services, New York and East AfricaDrafted a memo on the legal and fiscal realities of the development of a wind farm and transmission line in Tanzania; met with government officials in Uganda and Tanzania regarding renewable power projects

Anna Myles-PrimakoffMinistry of Education, LiberiaDeveloped two funding proposals on implementing the Ministry’s peace, human rights and citizenship education curriculum; drafted a Teachers’ Code of Conduct; reviewed Ministry policies to ensure that they were consistent with existing and proposed legislation

Balaji NarainInstitute for Policy Research and Advocacy, IndonesiaResearched corporate accountability mechanisms in Indonesia and those developed by the international community

Zeke ReichArab Center for Law and Policy, IsraelResearched minority rights in international law; prepared fact sheets about educational and other disparities between the Jewish and non-Jewish populations; compiled NGO reports and academic articles into a definitive list of laws that make facial distinctions between Jews and non-Jews

Ariella RosenbergInternational Federation for Human Rights, FranceConducted comparative research on past hybrid courts in Bosnia, Burundi, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, East Timor, Kosovo and Lebanon; met with victims of the Khmer Rouge regime and assisted in preparations for their claims in the Extraordinary Chambers

Anne SidersLandmine Action, EnglandResearched the financial obligations imposed by the new Convention on Cluster Munitions and the protocols of the Convention on Conventional Weapons; evaluated the effectiveness of national reports as an implementation and review mechanism for several Convention protocols

Leigh SylvanInternational Rescue Committee, SudanAnalyzed Sudanese labor law and policy to ensure the IRC’s compliance and conducted a week-long training on protection issues

Kelly TallonCenter for Human Rights, ChileDrafted an English-language report on conference proceedings on the status of women’s human rights in Latin America; compiled research on Guantanamo, torture, the development of asylum cases based on sexual orientation in the UK, and sex-based discrimination cases

Jonathan TaylorCARE International, EthiopiaWorked on a local good governance initiative to add a stronger human rights element and to establish a governance resource center

Grayson WalkerInternational Rescue Committee, ThailandWorked on a project to introduce community service sentences as an alternative to fines or detention for low-level criminal offenses; drafted documents for male refugees about the prevalence of gender-based violence in camp and ways to restore peace within the community

Joy WangUnited Nations Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking, ThailandProvided analysis of victim protection under three new anti-trafficking laws in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand; conducted research on the effects of male trafficking victims being recognized under Thai law; drafted reports on the legal parameters for police-led raids on brothels and factories in order to ‘rescue’ trafficking victims

Alison WelcherSierra Leone Court Monitoring Programme, Sierra LeoneProvided weekly reports on the proceedings of one of the Trial Chambers of the Special Court, which has international jurisdiction for war crimes; wrote articles on legal issues that arose during court proceedings; created a training manual with guidelines for court monitors, comprehensive explanations of pre-trial and trial rights, and introductions to various legal topics and instruments

David ZimmerMinistry of Justice, LiberiaAssisted in the rewriting of Liberia’s inter-country adoption law; reviewed draft legislation and wrote summary memos for the Minister on a variety of issues; wrote a memo on customs enforcement provisions, including recommendations for restructuring